It’s been a meteoric rise, one that makes it feel like Zendaya’s been around forever. Not quite. Her breakthrough came in 2017, a mere seven years ago, when the double whammy of Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman marked her as a talent to watch. Two years later, Spider-Man: Far From Home and a TV series aimed at teens shot her straight into the acting stratosphere.
That show was, of course, Euphoria, one that turned out to be a winner on all fronts. The individual stories of high schoolers in California trying to balance student life with the pressures of love, loss, sex and addiction, saw Zendaya in the central role of Rue, a troubled drug addict struggling with sobriety. And, while she was at the core of the show, most episodes provided backstories for the other main characters. Nominations and awards followed, Zendaya herself became the youngest actor to receive a Primetime Emmy and she also scooped a Golden Globe. But, after two seasons, everything was left hanging in mid-air.
The pandemic and strike action both stood in the way of developing a third season, despite demand from the show’s many fans. While they were all desperate to find out what happened to Rue and her suitcase, Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) friendship and how Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play came to an end, the careers of other members of the cast – Sweeney and Jacob Elordi in particular – had taken off. But now we know for sure that the show is returning and filming is due to start in January of next year, which means a likely launch date of towards the end of 2025 or early 2026. Many of the original cast will be back, but now there’s a time jump in store, which could answer many questions – and pose a whole lot more.
Before the show returns, there’s an opportunity to see Zendaya in a less mainstream role on Netflix. Released in 2021, Malcolm And Marie was also developed by Euphoria’s creator, Sam Levinson, and was shot during the pandemic. A tense two-hander which eavesdrops on the strains in the marriage between a couple in the film industry, it casts Zendaya alongside John David Washington. Shot in intimate black and white, it concentrates on the events after an awards ceremony: while he’s on a high from being celebrated, she’s clearly troubled by something that happened – or didn’t happen – during the event, yet reluctant to start a damaging argument on what should be a happy evening. Both actors received praise for their on-screen chemistry and emotional performances.
With light at the end of the tunnel for Euphoria season 3, there’s even more reason for excitement among Zendaya’s legions of fans. Both she and Tom Holland are reportedly excited about a first script for a new Spider-Man movie but, for now, it’s still early days. And, of course, she has Euphoria in her sights.
Malcolm And Marie is currently on Netflix in the UK and USA.
Both seasons of Euphoria are on Sky Atlantic in the UK and HBO in the USA. A release date for season three has yet to be confirmed
